Wilkinson Trem any good?

Baltar

Baltar

New member
Hi!

I've never noticed those - a local shop has wilkinson vintage strat tremolos
in stock. They're black, what's a little strange to me, but the price looks like a
bargain and it has a steel block
A good choice for a strat with a little more tension (.11 strings)?

cheers
 
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Re: Wilkinson Trem any good?

They're same company as Gotoh, should be good. They're more known for the fulcrum (2-point) vibrato bridges but all of their stuff is quite good.
 
Re: Wilkinson Trem any good?

Everything I´ve seen or used from Wilkinson (or now Gotoh /Wilkinson) has been great. The VS-100 is one of my all-time favorite trems....
 
Re: Wilkinson Trem any good?

Their six point vintage trem is in my opinion the best vintage strat trem available. It sounds vintage and it stays in tune way better. Combine it with a low friction nut and quality tuners and it will handle rough trem use. The block is quality steel and big. The string holes are drilled into the block to provide the proper breaking angles for each string. This is one reason the trem can stay in tune so well. It gives excellent sustain. The arm is push-in with no slop.
 
Re: Wilkinson Trem any good?

I LOVE all of my Wilkinson hardware. It sounds great and and it all stays in tune.
 
Re: Wilkinson Trem any good?

I have Wilkinson tremolo in my Carvin. I compare it to my Fender american strat which has a similar 2 point tremolo. The Wilkinson stays in tune better and I think sounds better. Of what I can tell the Wilkinson sure are made great.
 
Re: Wilkinson Trem any good?

Despite a minor production flaw, quality seems great.
It has some improvements compared to a classic vintage style trem, that i like.
Waiting for pickups to be delivered, can't wait to play that build

cheers, B
 
Re: Wilkinson Trem any good?

I have one of the Wilkinson USA VS-100 models with its stupid locking mechanism idea (removed!) and a couple of SE Asian vintage style six screw fulcrum types. I like both. The VS-100 takes all manner of abuse and holds tune (with the aid of locking Sperzels). IMO, the low price Asian-sourced bridges are a bargain. They are almost as dirt cheap as Leo's original. (No calibrated, tap test-matched, cryogenically-treated baloney for ol' Leo!!!. No, sir.)
 
Re: Wilkinson Trem any good?

Zerberus said:
Everything I´ve seen or used from Wilkinson (or now Gotoh /Wilkinson) has been great. The VS-100 is one of my all-time favorite trems....
Click to expand...

Well, well, well... look what the cat just drag in!

:joke:

Nice seeing you here again, herr Baron. You've been missed!

Yours truly,
 
Re: Wilkinson Trem any good?

my only complaint with the Wilkinson vintage tremolo is that the arm has some slop (it's not very tight when you use it). otherwise it's great, like Lake Placid Blue already said. One important thing to consider is that it dicreases the vintage string spacing to 54mm (from 56mm).
 
Re: Wilkinson Trem any good?

I had one on a Yamaha strat with gotoh locking tuners and a graphite nut.

You could almost VH that thing and it really really stayed in tune well. I think they ar awesome.
 
Re: Wilkinson Trem any good?

Zerberus said:
Everything I´ve seen or used from Wilkinson (or now Gotoh /Wilkinson) has been great. The VS-100 is one of my all-time favorite trems....
Click to expand...

And this is from a man who really knows how to pull on his wiggle stick!
 
Re: Wilkinson Trem any good?

after some rehersals, i prefer it over the 2 point trem my fender am deluxe strat has.
only one tweak: i replaced the saddles (i like those oldish sheet saddles rather than brass)
 
Re: Wilkinson Trem any good?

Aren't there multiple versions of the Wilkinson stuff? Some of the stuff is made by Gotoh in Japan, but other lines are made in China/Indonesia/etc. I think you have to make sure which you are getting.

The Gotoh Wilkinson stuff is top-notch.
 
Re: Wilkinson Trem any good?

I've got the import 6-screw vintage version on my Strat and am not a fan. Maybe I was spoiled by the American Standard bridge on my previous Strat, but this bridge will never return to tune after tremolo use, even though the guitar has locking tuners and a graphite nut. I finally gave up and blocked the tremolo and bolted it down tight.
 
Re: Wilkinson Trem any good?

You can see my Warmoth custom build as my avatar. I have the Wilkinson VS401, and it's the best "vintage" style trem I've ever played. Even better than my VS100 that came with my Pacifica 812W. Pair it up with a set of good locking tuners and a good nut, set it up properly, and you'll rarely, if ever, go out of tune. I seem to remember having trouble finding one, but here is a link: VS401
 
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